Greenland Net Migration

Greenland’s net migration has swung dramatically over the 66‑year series, moving from a high of 518.00 in 1970 to a low of –748.00 in 1992 before settling at –265.00 in 2025, the 120th lowest figure among World Bank‑reported economies. The 1970 peak coincided with a period of expanding resource extraction and limited out‑migration, whereas the 1992 trough reflected heightened outflows linked to declining fisheries and limited economic diversification. The most recent negative balance of –265.00 places Greenland alongside peers such as Papua New Guinea (–284.00) and Tuvalu (–255.00), underscoring a persistent out‑migration pattern despite modest improvements since the early 1990s. Early data in 1960 showed a modest inflow of 234.00, indicating that the current outflow is a reversal of the mid‑century trend. If economic diversification and climate‑adaptation initiatives succeed in creating new employment opportunities, the downward migration trajectory could moderate, potentially shifting the balance toward a smaller net loss in the coming decade.